Los Angeles Camping and Hiking - Camp Hike Live California

Los Angeles Camping and Hiking

Based Out of the San Fernando Valley

Los Angeles camping and hiking subjects, sites, and trails, based out of the San Fernando Valley, including peripheral areas from the Angeles National Forest to Thousand Oaks

Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley based hiking trails

Because I'm based out of the Valley, I avoid Griffith at all cost. Fighting traffic to reach heavily trafficked trails is not my idea of leaving the city behind for some quiet, nature therapy.

Topanga State Park hiking

My favorite quick access trails from the Valley are those in Topanga State Park. Check out my Topanga State Park page for everything I've written about the park. Some of my articles include the popular hike from Trippet Ranch to Eagle Rock via E Topanga Fire Road, hiking Musch Trail, which is part of the Backbone Trail, again up to Eagle Rock, and hiking in the shade on the Deadhorse Trail, which is also part of the Backbone Trail.

Backbone Trail, Santa Monica Mountains

The Backbone Trail is a 67 mile trail going from Will Rogers State Historic Park, in Santa Monica, to Point Mugu State Park, in Ventura County. It winds its way up the coast via the Santa Monica Mountains.

I've been section hiking this trail, and you can click this link to go to my dedicated Backbone Trail page to see my progress. I document each section of the trail on video for other hikers to check out, to see what they're getting into.

One memorable hike on the Backbone Trail was my summiting Sandstone Peak, which is the highest peak in the Santa Monica Mountains. I also walked down the Backbone to Inspiration Point, which is just a little west of Sandstone Peak. If you're thinking about hiking somewhere on the Backbone Trail, that section is definitely a must.

I'm adding new Gaia GPS map files to my Backbone Trail page, so check in from time to time and grab those files, so you can hike the same sections I'm hiking (without getting lost down a side trail). If you're going to hike the Backbone I suggest downloading the free Gaia GPS app on your phone. The satellite map and your position on the trail still works in the free version, as long as you load it up ahead of time, while in cell range.

North Valley hiking

The hikes I do in the northern area of the San Fernando Valley include the trail from O'Melveny Park to Mission Point, which has several steep sections, providing massive elevation gains, making it a high exertion, cardio and leg strengthening hike; the Aliso Canyon Park trail, which is a fairly short hike with not too much elevation gain; and the Limekiln Canyon Trail. I don't really do Limekiln that often, as it feels a bit crowded and urban, but you can take your dogs.

Check out my O'Melveny Park to Mission Point article for more information on that particular hike. It's one you want to have trekking poles for, to help you both up and down the steep sections. And it's one you need to bring maintenance carbs for, so your glycogen levels don't get obliterated by the time you hit the summit.

Click here to check out my article on carbohydrate timing during high exertion hiking before you attempt O'Melveny.

And click here to check out my review of the cheap but adequate Cascade Mountain Tech trekking poles I use to day hike and backpack.

West Valley hiking

The only hiking I've done in the west part of the San Fernando Valley is in the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve.

I basically just walked down E Las Virgenes Canyon Road, up and down the rolling hills. It was okay, nothing remarkable. I had the dogs with me, so didn't get very far that day.

The trail would probably be a good trail running spot though.

South Valley hiking

I've walked around the Upper Franklin Canyon Reservoir, up near the Mulholland Drive. It's a bit scenic and wooded, but not much of a real hike. Again a good place to walk the dogs.

There's a side trail there, starting near the MRCA office building, called the Blinderman trail, which feels more like a hike, other than it's pretty short. You do get a bit of elevation gain their though, and thus better views of the Reservoir below.

Just out of curiosity, I visited the Nike Missile Control Site at San Vicente Mountain Park, long ago. You're not really hiking up in there; you're just walking around on a dirt fire road. Because of this, and because I had to drive through some giant bumps and crevices in the unimproved dirt road, to get to the place, I don't recommend it as a hiking spot.

Will Rogers State Historic Park hiking

If you're at Will Rogers, the most obvious trail to do is the Inspiration Loop Trail to Inspiration Point.

However if you want a real hike, continue up the Backbone Trail towards Topanga State Park. You're mostly viewing chaparral, the ocean, and the town of Santa Monica along the trail. The only remarkable trail feature is a little bridge you cross as you are climbing.

Several miles into the climb, you'll eventually hit Cathedral Rocks in Topanga State Park, which is an interesting rock outcrop from the Sespe Formation.

Peripheral Areas

Angeles National Forest

My go to hikes in the Angeles National Forest are the Switzer Falls hike, which features a waterfall, if you're willing to walk up the creek near the end of the trail; and Eaton Canyon, that similarly has a waterfall at its termination. Both trails have stream crossings.

In the summertime, you can generally get away with just using waterproof (Gore-Tex) shoes, like my Salomon X Ultra GTX shoes, on these trails. Just use trekking poles to stay balanced, while looking for shallow places, or hop-rocks to land your feet, during the water crossings.

But with the anomalous rainfall we've had recently, it may be better to just take quick drying trail runners, and just slosh through, with the expectation your feet will be wet!

Castaic Lake

Castaic Lake offers a few easily accessible hiking trails worth trying out. I personally like parking at the north end of the Castaic Lagoon parking lot, then walking from the lot, on a connector path, to the West Ridge Trail, heading northward. This gives you a good elevation climb up to a group day use area with some bathrooms.

You can then continue north down West Ramp Road until you get to the end of the next major parking lot, in which you can then jump on the Fisherman Trail that hugs the side of the lake for a while. I usually just head back at that point, in an out-and-back format, but you can continue and loop back around for a longer hike, via the Cutler Canyon Fire Road.

Lake Arrowhead & Big Bear Lake

Santa Anita Canyon

Wildwood Regional Park, Thousand Oaks

'Best Of' Lists for Los Angeles & San Fernando Valley Hiking and Camping

If you've read through my Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley trail guide above, and still don't know where to go, I do have an article on some of the more favorite hikes on the list.

Click here to go to my Best Hikes Near the San Fernando Valley article, which provides more details and pictures of some of the trails mentioned above!

Also, if you're willing to drive half a day, there are 5 national parks fairly close to Los Angeles that provide excellent hiking and camping opportunities. Check out my 5 Epic National Parks Near Los Angeles article, for info, personal pics, and distances from LA for those parks.

February 19, 2023